Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous materials for pollutants abatement, environmental sensing and bacterial inactivation

Owing to their facile reactants migration channels, large surface area, maximized exposure of reaction sites and efficient light utilization, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) materials have been extensively adopted in environmental fields such as pollutants removal, environmental detection as well as bacterial disinfection. In this review, the up-to-date 3DOM materials, the corresponding synthesis protocols and the related environmental applications involving photo electrocatalytic pollutants decomposition, thermocatalytic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) elimination, hazardous substances sensing and bacteria inactivation are completely presented. Simultaneously, the inherent advantages and mechanisms of 3DOM materials in different environmental utilization are thoroughly demonstrated and summarized. Furthermore, the improved performance of environmental applications and the methods of fabricating 3DOM materials are correlated in depth, being favorable for readers to obtain the fundamental knowledge and to motivate some innovative thoughts for modifying 3DOM materials with further elevated environmental remediation capability. Finally, the current difficulties and prospects of 3DOM materials for large-scale and commercial applications are outlooked. This critical review is anticipated to promote the optimization of 3DOM materials and to ripen the related environmental remediation techniques. © 2023, Science China Press.